The Latest: UNC chancellor calls NCAA ruling 'fair outcome'

The Latest on the NCAA ruling on North Carolina's multi-year academic case (all times local):

2:05 p.m.

University of North Carolina Chancellor Carol Folt says this "isn't a time of celebration" after her school avoided major penalties from the NCAA in a multi-year academic case investigation.

An infractions panel announced Friday that it could not conclude academic violations took place at the university, and Folt said it was "the correct and fair outcome."

The focus of the investigation was on independent study-style courses in the formerly named African and Afro-American Studies department.

Athletic director Bubba Cunningham acknowledged that "we had some things . that we haven't been proud of."

But he added that "sometimes the behaviour you're not proud of doesn't quite fit into a bylaw or a rule or something."

___

12:05 p.m.

The chief hearing officer of the NCAA's infractions panel handling the North Carolina academic investigation case says it's "more likely than not" that athletes received fraudulent credit, but the organization's bylaws leave it to the schools themselves to determine academic fraud.

Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey, the chief hearing officer, said Friday that the panel could not use "those strong possibilities" to determine whether violations occurred.

North Carolina avoided major penalties when the panel couldn't conclude academic violations took place. Sankey says what happened was "troubling." He says the panel "applied the membership's bylaws to the facts" and "couldn't conclude violations. That's reality."

The investigation centred around independent study-style courses in the formerly named African and Afro-American Studies department. The infractions panel says North Carolina supported those courses as legitimate.

___

11:20 a.m.

The attorney for a former professor and academic counsellor charged in North Carolina's academic case says his client is "obviously pleased" that an NCAA infractions committee panel didn't conclude she committed a violation.

One of the five charges against UNC focused on Jan Boxill for providing too much help on assignments in her role as a counsellor for women's basketball. But the NCAA found only two violations in the case, neither involved Boxill.

Her attorney, Randall Roden, issued a statement saying the multi-year case was "a terrible ordeal" for Boxill. He added that her appearance at an August infractions hearing "gave her the opportunity to tell her side of the story" to the NCAA.

Roden says Boxill "was there to tell the truth and she did."

___

10:35 a.m.

Only two people at North Carolina ultimately received NCAA sanctions in the multi-year academic case.

Former department chairman Julius Nyang'oro and retired office administrator Deborah Crowder were charged with refusing to co-operate with the NCAA probe. Nyang'oro refused to interview with NCAA investigators after the case was reopened in 2014. Crowder reconsidered and interviewed with investigators in May.

Nyang'oro received a five-year show-cause penalty lasting until Oct. 12, 2022. Crowder was not punished, but the NCAA says it is making note of her initial lack of co-operation.

The school avoided major penalties Friday when the NCAA said it "could not conclude" academic violations took place. The investigation's focus was on independent study-style courses in the formerly named African and Afro-American Studies department chaired by Nyang'oro.

___

10:20 a.m.

North Carolina has avoided major penalties after an NCAA infractions committee panel "could not conclude" there were academic violations in the multi-year case focused on irregular courses.

The NCAA released its report Friday morning. The panel said it found only two violations out of five charges the school originally faced: a failure-to-co-operate charge against two people tied to the problem courses in the formerly named African and Afro-American Studies department.

___

9:40 a.m.

The NCAA has announced that the infractions committee panel handling North Carolina's multi-year case will release its public report Friday morning.

It's a long-awaited step for both the school and NCAA. Investigators first arrived at UNC more than seven years ago in a football probe that ultimately spawned this case focused on irregular courses featuring significant athlete enrollments.

While a ruling could provide resolution, the delay-filled case could still linger if UNC pursues an appeal or legal action in response to potential penalties that could include fines, probation, post-season bans or vacated wins and championships.

The school faces five top-level charges, including lack of institutional control, though no coaches are charged with wrongdoing.

The announcement comes roughly eight weeks after UNC appeared before the panel for a two-day hearing in Nashville, Tennessee.

By The Associated Press

The Latest: UNC chancellor calls NCAA ruling 'fair outcome'

SportsOct 13, 2017

The Latest on the NCAA ruling on North Carolina's multi-year academic case (all times local):

2:05 p.m.

University of North Carolina Chancellor Carol Folt says this "isn't a time of celebration" after her school avoided major penalties from the NCAA in a multi-year academic case investigation.

An infractions panel announced Friday that it could not conclude academic violations took place at the university, and Folt said it was "the correct and fair outcome."

The focus of the investigation was on independent study-style courses in the formerly named African and Afro-American Studies department.

Athletic director Bubba Cunningham acknowledged that "we had some things . that we haven't been proud of."

But he added that "sometimes the behaviour you're not proud of doesn't quite fit into a bylaw or a rule or something."

___

12:05 p.m.

The chief hearing officer of the NCAA's infractions panel handling the North Carolina academic investigation case says it's "more likely than not" that athletes received fraudulent credit, but the organization's bylaws leave it to the schools themselves to determine academic fraud.

Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey, the chief hearing officer, said Friday that the panel could not use "those strong possibilities" to determine whether violations occurred.

North Carolina avoided major penalties when the panel couldn't conclude academic violations took place. Sankey says what happened was "troubling." He says the panel "applied the membership's bylaws to the facts" and "couldn't conclude violations. That's reality."

The investigation centred around independent study-style courses in the formerly named African and Afro-American Studies department. The infractions panel says North Carolina supported those courses as legitimate.

___

11:20 a.m.

The attorney for a former professor and academic counsellor charged in North Carolina's academic case says his client is "obviously pleased" that an NCAA infractions committee panel didn't conclude she committed a violation.

One of the five charges against UNC focused on Jan Boxill for providing too much help on assignments in her role as a counsellor for women's basketball. But the NCAA found only two violations in the case, neither involved Boxill.

Her attorney, Randall Roden, issued a statement saying the multi-year case was "a terrible ordeal" for Boxill. He added that her appearance at an August infractions hearing "gave her the opportunity to tell her side of the story" to the NCAA.

Roden says Boxill "was there to tell the truth and she did."

___

10:35 a.m.

Only two people at North Carolina ultimately received NCAA sanctions in the multi-year academic case.

Former department chairman Julius Nyang'oro and retired office administrator Deborah Crowder were charged with refusing to co-operate with the NCAA probe. Nyang'oro refused to interview with NCAA investigators after the case was reopened in 2014. Crowder reconsidered and interviewed with investigators in May.

Nyang'oro received a five-year show-cause penalty lasting until Oct. 12, 2022. Crowder was not punished, but the NCAA says it is making note of her initial lack of co-operation.

The school avoided major penalties Friday when the NCAA said it "could not conclude" academic violations took place. The investigation's focus was on independent study-style courses in the formerly named African and Afro-American Studies department chaired by Nyang'oro.

___

10:20 a.m.

North Carolina has avoided major penalties after an NCAA infractions committee panel "could not conclude" there were academic violations in the multi-year case focused on irregular courses.

The NCAA released its report Friday morning. The panel said it found only two violations out of five charges the school originally faced: a failure-to-co-operate charge against two people tied to the problem courses in the formerly named African and Afro-American Studies department.

___

9:40 a.m.

The NCAA has announced that the infractions committee panel handling North Carolina's multi-year case will release its public report Friday morning.

It's a long-awaited step for both the school and NCAA. Investigators first arrived at UNC more than seven years ago in a football probe that ultimately spawned this case focused on irregular courses featuring significant athlete enrollments.

While a ruling could provide resolution, the delay-filled case could still linger if UNC pursues an appeal or legal action in response to potential penalties that could include fines, probation, post-season bans or vacated wins and championships.

The school faces five top-level charges, including lack of institutional control, though no coaches are charged with wrongdoing.

The announcement comes roughly eight weeks after UNC appeared before the panel for a two-day hearing in Nashville, Tennessee.

By The Associated Press

Top Stories

The Latest: UNC chancellor calls NCAA ruling 'fair outcome'

SportsOct 13, 2017

The Latest on the NCAA ruling on North Carolina's multi-year academic case (all times local):

2:05 p.m.

University of North Carolina Chancellor Carol Folt says this "isn't a time of celebration" after her school avoided major penalties from the NCAA in a multi-year academic case investigation.

An infractions panel announced Friday that it could not conclude academic violations took place at the university, and Folt said it was "the correct and fair outcome."

The focus of the investigation was on independent study-style courses in the formerly named African and Afro-American Studies department.

Athletic director Bubba Cunningham acknowledged that "we had some things . that we haven't been proud of."

But he added that "sometimes the behaviour you're not proud of doesn't quite fit into a bylaw or a rule or something."

___

12:05 p.m.

The chief hearing officer of the NCAA's infractions panel handling the North Carolina academic investigation case says it's "more likely than not" that athletes received fraudulent credit, but the organization's bylaws leave it to the schools themselves to determine academic fraud.

Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey, the chief hearing officer, said Friday that the panel could not use "those strong possibilities" to determine whether violations occurred.

North Carolina avoided major penalties when the panel couldn't conclude academic violations took place. Sankey says what happened was "troubling." He says the panel "applied the membership's bylaws to the facts" and "couldn't conclude violations. That's reality."

The investigation centred around independent study-style courses in the formerly named African and Afro-American Studies department. The infractions panel says North Carolina supported those courses as legitimate.

___

11:20 a.m.

The attorney for a former professor and academic counsellor charged in North Carolina's academic case says his client is "obviously pleased" that an NCAA infractions committee panel didn't conclude she committed a violation.

One of the five charges against UNC focused on Jan Boxill for providing too much help on assignments in her role as a counsellor for women's basketball. But the NCAA found only two violations in the case, neither involved Boxill.

Her attorney, Randall Roden, issued a statement saying the multi-year case was "a terrible ordeal" for Boxill. He added that her appearance at an August infractions hearing "gave her the opportunity to tell her side of the story" to the NCAA.

Roden says Boxill "was there to tell the truth and she did."

___

10:35 a.m.

Only two people at North Carolina ultimately received NCAA sanctions in the multi-year academic case.

Former department chairman Julius Nyang'oro and retired office administrator Deborah Crowder were charged with refusing to co-operate with the NCAA probe. Nyang'oro refused to interview with NCAA investigators after the case was reopened in 2014. Crowder reconsidered and interviewed with investigators in May.

Nyang'oro received a five-year show-cause penalty lasting until Oct. 12, 2022. Crowder was not punished, but the NCAA says it is making note of her initial lack of co-operation.

The school avoided major penalties Friday when the NCAA said it "could not conclude" academic violations took place. The investigation's focus was on independent study-style courses in the formerly named African and Afro-American Studies department chaired by Nyang'oro.

___

10:20 a.m.

North Carolina has avoided major penalties after an NCAA infractions committee panel "could not conclude" there were academic violations in the multi-year case focused on irregular courses.

The NCAA released its report Friday morning. The panel said it found only two violations out of five charges the school originally faced: a failure-to-co-operate charge against two people tied to the problem courses in the formerly named African and Afro-American Studies department.

___

9:40 a.m.

The NCAA has announced that the infractions committee panel handling North Carolina's multi-year case will release its public report Friday morning.

It's a long-awaited step for both the school and NCAA. Investigators first arrived at UNC more than seven years ago in a football probe that ultimately spawned this case focused on irregular courses featuring significant athlete enrollments.

While a ruling could provide resolution, the delay-filled case could still linger if UNC pursues an appeal or legal action in response to potential penalties that could include fines, probation, post-season bans or vacated wins and championships.

The school faces five top-level charges, including lack of institutional control, though no coaches are charged with wrongdoing.

The announcement comes roughly eight weeks after UNC appeared before the panel for a two-day hearing in Nashville, Tennessee.